Statement on House Vote to Strip EPA of Water Quality Oversight

CBF Statement on House Vote to Strip EPAof Water Quality Oversight

(ANNAPOLIS, MD)���Chesapeake Bay Foundation Federal Affairs Director Doug Siglin issued this statement regarding last night's vote by the House of Representatives to strip the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of its oversight authority over state water quality programs.

"Last night, the House of Representatives approved legislation that constitutes the most damaging attack on the federal Clean Water Act in more than a decade. Six of Virginia's representatives - three Democrats and three Republicans - voted against passage of the bill, thereby attempting to maintain the nearly 40-year-old law that has done so much for Americans' quality of life. Congressmen Jim Moran, Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Frank Wolf, Rob Wittman, and Scott Rigell, all of whom represent districts on the Potomac River or the Chesapeake Bay, understand that Virginia cannot have clean water for its citizens without the full cooperation of the federal government and the 'upstream' states.

"CBF commends these six members of Congress for their votes on this bill (H.R. 2018), and particularly notes Congressmen Connolly, Moran, and Scott's ongoing efforts to support Virginians' right to clean and healthy waters and the willingness of Congressmen Rigell, Wolf, and Wittman to oppose their party's overwhelming support of this appalling legislation."

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